


Katharsis

by GirlGoneGamer667



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Gotham City Police Department, Haly's Circus (DCU), Innocent Jerome Valeska, Murder, Obsession, Possessive Jerome Valeska, Protective Jim Gordon, Soft Jerome Valeska, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:47:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29293134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GirlGoneGamer667/pseuds/GirlGoneGamer667
Summary: One night at Haly's Circus when Poppy comes to visit Jerome by bringing him a home cooked meal like always, Jim Gordon and his girlfriend shows up to look for Lila Valaska, until they found out that she had been murdered. Seeking comfort with his girlfriend, Poppy allows Jerome to be with her at her house until the true murderer has been found, but the 15 year old teenager is unaware of who Jerome truly is or what will he do to keep Poppy in his life.
Relationships: Jerome Valeska/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	Katharsis

**_A/N: I do not own Gotham or its characters! I only own this story and my characters!_ **

* * *

Poppy Canellei was in her bedroom at her mother's house in Gotham as she was studying. With her French 2 textbook resting in her lap, Poppy kept her soft blue eyes on the words on the pages while listening to her music through her purple headphones. Having her hand underneath her chin, Poppy was about to past out from keeping her eyes on the textbook until she decided to take a break. Stretching her arms out after putting her French textbook away in her backpack, Poppy looked over to her alarm clock to see that it was past 6:30 pm. 

"Oh… I forgot. Jerome is expecting me to bring him some food for him." Poppy responded to herself after noticing the time.

Getting up from her bed and headed downstairs to the kitchen before noticing her 10 year old sister, Heather Canellei watching cartoons on the couch.

"When did you get home?" Poppy asked.

"Like an hour ago. Were you on the phone with circus boy again?" Heather asked, before Poppy rolled her eyes and crossed her arm, knowing that she was annoyed.

"His name is Jerome. And yes, I'll be glad to leave you alone to your silly  _ Looney Tunes _ show." Poppy answered, before she walked into the kitchen and started getting out ingredients for baked spaghetti.

"I've ordered pizza." Heather announced from the living room as Poppy got a sliver squared pan from the cabinets.

"With what money, Heather?" Poppy asked back as she started to get the skillet from the hanging rack.

"The emergency credit card Mom left us." Heather answered back before Poppy preheated the oven at 350°F. "Why don't you give some pizza to your ginger hair boyfriend?" She asked.

"I prefer to fix Jerome a decent meal. His mother doesn't even cook for him, given the fact she's a snake dancer and a drunken sex addict." Poppy explained, before Heather left the couch and headed into the kitchen to get her a fruit punch flavored Capri-Sun. "I'm his girlfriend after all. And he loves my cooking." She responded as Heather decided to lean against the counter and watch her sister.

Heather watched Poppy chopped onions with a knife as the two Canellei sisters started crying slightly, before the youngest sister noticed something on Poppy's face.

"What?" Poppy asked quietly as she was crying slightly while wiped her tears away with a napkin.

"What happened to your face?" Heather asked.

"What do you mean?" Poppy asked back, before putting the onions in the pot.

"That! That's a black eye, Poppy Leigh Ann." Heather responded as she pointed towards Poppy's left eye that was revealed to be bruised.

Poppy looked at her reflection through one of the skillets on the hanging rack, as she saw her black eye, knowing that her foundation wore off when she started to cry from the onion fumes.

"Poppy, did Jerome do that to you?!" Heather asked as she started to get worried about her sister's love life, thinking that she was getting abused by Jerome Valaska.

"No, no, no! It wasn't him...  _ It was his mother _ ." Poppy confessed quietly, before opening a can of diced tomatoes.

"His mother? Come on, Poppy, you can't be defending him-" Heather responded as she tried to get her to tell the truth, thinking that she was lying to cover up, but she was cut off by a large kitchen knife that was stabbed through a wooden kitchen board. "Whoa!" She exclaimed in shock, when she jumped after seeing that.

"It's the truth. It was Lila's fault. I can tell you what happened. But Mom, Daddy, Tommy, or Uncle Jim can not know." Poppy responded, before Heather promised her and decided to listen in on the story of what happened…

* * *

_ Little Sadie by Crooked Still was playing as every circus worker was throwing a small party which happened after a circus performance night in Gotham City. The performers were having fun by dancing, having chats with others like they were family and even drinking alcohol without care. _

_ Poppy was invited on Jerome's behalf since she became a volunteer for Haly's Circus for that night. But during her second drink of whiskey, Poppy was led into the middle of the dance floor by Jerome, leading her to giggle at his playful side. _

_ "C'mon, doll. Too much alcohol and you'll miss out on all the fun." Jerome responded as he smiled, before Poppy hid her face into Jerome's left shoulder while having her hands on the side of his shoulders. _

_ "You made me try it out." Poppy replied with a giggle. _

_ "You're such a bad girl. I thought catholic school girls like you stay so pure." Jerome growled in her ear. "But I guess I was wrong…" He stated, as he had his arms around her waist, before they started slow dancing to Always and Forever by Heatwave. _

_ Poppy slowly lifted up her head before resting her chin on his left shoulder, until her ocean blue eyes saw that the performers were staring at the young couple. To her, it felt like everyone was staring at them because it was strange of them to see a traveling circus boy and a catholic teen from the city together and holding each other close. _

_ "Jerome… everyone is staring." Poppy whispered.  _

_ "Let them stare… I want everyone to know that I've found you again." Jerome responded quietly with a smile, before moving his face slightly towards her short back hair, smelling a faint but alluring scent of white grapefruit. _

_ As they continued to dance, Poppy slowly removed her head and decided to look at Jerome with her soft eyes that he loved so much. His emerald green eyes were staring back at him, before Jerome removed one of his hands from around Poppy's waist and put some of her short black hair back behind her ear to reveal her blue teardrop earring. _

_ A small whisper of "Come here" was heard through Jerome's lips as Poppy slowly reached up while the ginger haired circus boy lowered his head down so their lips could meet. Soft lips were gently moving against each other as Poppy and Jerome had stopped dancing and stood there in the middle of the dance floor as the song continued. Poppy had her hands on each side of Jerome's head as the ginger haired circus boy moved his hands down towards Poppy's behind until his left hand rested on her thigh to lift up her right leg to rest against his hip. _

_ "Jerome!" _

_ The screeching voice of Lila Valaska was heard as Jerome thought he heard her voice through his thoughts, but to his surprise… Poppy was pulled off of and away from him by his mother. _

_ Her hand was grabbing the back of Poppy's white button down school shirt before the 15 year old teenager stumbled and landed on the floor. _

_ "Hey!" Poppy exclaimed. _

_ Jerome pushed Lila to the side before he tried to lend a helping hand for Poppy to take, but Lila slapped his own hand away. _

_ "What is this?! You didn't tell me that you have a little city harlot as your little girlfriend! How could she ever love someone like you? You're worthless!" Lila slurred after seeing Poppy wrapped her arms around Jerome's waist. _

_ "Why would you care, Lila? You've never even once cared about me. Poppy is different from all of the clowns you've slept with. And beside, I won't let you get in our way!" Jerome responded, before he tried to take Poppy away from the dance floor, knowing that everyone was watching them. _

_ "Just what this circus needs! Another circus whore! If I was you, missy, I would leave him out on his ass before you get caught up. Because he's nothing but trouble!" Lila slurred as she was angry at the two, which caused Poppy to stop walking away and pull away from Jerome. _

_ "I would never leave, Jerome, you drunk bitch! And besides, the reason why you are sooo friendly with every clown here it's because there is a sign in front of your cat saying-" Poppy started to say as she walked back towards Lila before she stood in front of her… until the older woman pushed her. "What the?!" She retorted, before pushing Lila back but with more force. _

_ Lila pushed Poppy again, before the 16 year old slapped the older woman in the face as she was showing anger. _

_ But all of a sudden, Lila punched Poppy in her left eye as the 16 year old teenager felt one of her rings and her fist making an impact with it, making her fall on the floor… _

* * *

"... after that, I tackled her to the floor and started punching back before Jerome pulled me off. What was strange after that, he was smiling down at his mother in pain." Poppy explained as she finally put the spaghetti pan in the oven.

"Really? Usually people are defensive about their parents, but Jerome… why would he do that? Laugh at his mother's pain?" Heather asked, before Poppy removed the glass cake cover which had a half eaten German chocolate cake inside. 

"Lila has been abusive towards him ever since he was born. I don't know why, all I know is that he's 18 and his mother still throws the ugly face at him. Everyone at the circus doesn't seem to care about it, because the clowns do the exact same thing to him if Lila approves." Poppy explained as she cut a few slices and put them inside of a Tupperware before putting a blue protective cover on it.

"Why can't you tell that to the police? Tommy and Uncle Jim always listen to us. We're family." Heather asked.

"You always ask so many questions…" Poppy responded, before checking on the spaghetti. "Why don't I tell them? Because it's too much. Jerome is 18. He told me that he can handle it. Yet, I see bruises on him every time. And he told me something… He asked me this after when me and Lila had our little fight. He thinks that we should both run away. Just the two of us." She confessed, before getting another Tupperware ready for the spaghetti.

"If you do, I'll tell." Heather warned.

"And I'll tell Mom that you have used the emergency credit card to buy some boy band tickets the other day. How about that, Heather Luna Canellei?" Poppy warned back as she stood in front of her. "The house phone's right there. I can just call her at work. And what would you be getting? A week? A month?" She asked, as Heather had her arms crossed.

"Do whatever you want." Heather responded as she rolled her eyes, before she left the kitchen which left Poppy with a smirk on her face.

Poppy felt her teal blue flip phone vibrating as she leaned against the counter before opening it to see that she received a text message from Jerome.

_ 'Are you still coming over? You promised, Poppyseads.' _

_ 'Yes, I am, J. Just making a yummy dinner for you. Can you guess?' _

_ 'Hmmm… is it you?'  _ Jerome texted as Poppy covered her mouth while she crossed her legs.

_ 'No! Dirty bastard!' _

_ 'Okay, okay. I was thinking about spaghetti today. Like the one I had over at your house for dinner.' _

_ 'You are correct! I'll be there soon, handsome.' _

Poppy put her flip phone back down on the counter before having her hands underneath her chins, knowing that she had found the one person in her life.

Arriving at Haly's Circus after parking her car, Poppy walked towards the back of the circus where the circus performer lived in their trailers. As she continued walking through, Poppy could feel that she was being stared at by the performers who were outside, while walking towards Jerome's trailer. 

Ignoring it all, Poppy finally made it to the trailer before knocking on the door and walking in.

"Oh there you are, cupcake!" Jerome responded after he walked to the kitchen part to see Poppy putting down the food containers on the table, and taking off her purple peacoat to reveal that she was still wearing her school uniform. "I was starting to get worried." He stated, before he walked towards her and the two kissed.

"Well, I'm here, am I?" Poppy asked with a smile, before Jerome sat down at the table as the 15 year old teenager started to open the food containers to reveal the baked spaghetti and German chocolate cake. "Here's dinner, J. Baked spaghetti and chocolate cake for dessert." She announced, as Jerome's emerald green eyes widened in happiness when he saw the food in front of him, knowing it came from his girlfriend's kitchen.

"Ooh, yummy!" Jerome responded before picking up a fork which Poppy brought with her as he started eating.

With Jerome distracted, Poppy decided to look around the trailer, knowing that the back of the trailer reeked of dirty clothes and beer bottles. Noticing that Lila wasn't in her room sleeping or the door wasn't locked, Poppy raised an eyebrow as she was wondering where Jerome's mother was.

"Hey, babe? Is Lila gone somewhere?" Poppy asked as she walked back into the kitchen area while Jerome was still devouring the baked spaghetti.

"I think so. Why would you care? Are you planning to apologize to her for the way you've acted a few days back? You don't have to." Jerome explained as he had his mouth full of the spaghetti noodles and meat, before he finally swallowed. "And beside, I'm glad you've stood up to her. But I hated how she put her hands on you." He stated, before holding Poppy's left hand once she returned back to the table.

"I know. But why haven't you started leaving on your own since she's doing this to you? She already did a number on me. But for you, it's worse." Poppy asked as she sat down in front of the 18 year old, knowing that she was referring to the abuse and how Jerome is old enough to make adult decisions.

"I am ready to leave. But I need to know something…" Jerome started to say, before he stood up while rubbing his thumb against the back of Poppy's left hand. "I want you to come with me. Where me and you can be free. I know my offer doesn't mean much to you… but maybe this can." He stated, before the two suddenly heard someone knocking on the door.

Raising another eyebrow in suspicion, Poppy was the first one to stand up before looking out the window to see that her Uncle Jim and his girlfriend, Leslie Thompkins were standing outside.

"Who is it? Is it one of those clowns?" Jerome asked before he stood up while wiping his mouth off with a napkin, as Poppy quickly hid her face with the curtain.

"It's… its the police." Poppy answered, as she started to get worried, knowing that Jerome hasn't met her uncle yet.

But deep down, Poppy knew that her relationship with Jerome was going to end soon, as she knew how protective her uncle was.

* * *

**_A/N: I had a hard time trying to think of a name for his story, but I went with Katharsis which is a name of a Japanese song and it was used in the anime, Tokyo Ghoul: Re._ **

**_Once you hear the song, you can feel the emotion through it like how Poppy feels through her life with Jerome._ **

**_I am planning to add more Jerome and Poppy stories in the future, if you have any story ideas that you wish to tell me! Plus, I've been watching more Jerome clips on YouTube for me to get the idea of how to do my Gotham stories, but if there was a way for me to watch the show from the beginning, instead of me buying the complete series on Amazon or Target for $50, I'll be happy with it._ **

**_Plus I updated Till I See You Again which I'm still waiting on a comment or whatever for me to continue as I work more on my Jedi Fallen Order story!_ **


End file.
